Google’s New YouTube Music Service WILL Launch In March

Richard Goodwin 11/12/2017 - 9:30am

Google already has music services, but that isn’t stopping it from launching a brand new, YouTube-branded one in 2018

Google already has two music services: Google Play Music and YouTube Music. But in true Google style, the company is working on ANOTHER option for users to access music. And, according to reports, it will land during March 2018.

Reports suggest this new service, which will be YouTube-branded, will likely be a merge of Play Music and YouTube Music – or something very similar. This means there will be streaming options alongside video too.

Spotify, despite increased competition from Apple and other players, is still very much the dominant player in the world of music streaming. Even the mighty Amazon has struggled to pull people away from Spotify.

Why now? Apparently, shot-callers in the music business are disappointed that YouTube Red is not more focussed on music, so Google, being the obliging entity that it is, has decided to create something that is just about music – music and video, that is.

The agenda, however, is simple: Google is partnering with major labels in a bid to help them monetise their artists using the power of YouTube. From a business perspective, given just how popular some artists are, and the lengths their fans will go to in order to support them, this move makes a lot of sense.

Labels and artists make next to nothing from streaming, so they need to find a new and more profitable digital platform. And this new YouTube endeavour appears to be just that.

Warner Music Group is apparently already signed up, though Google is still attempting to get Sony and Universal onboard too. Once Google has a decent roster of labels associated with its new music initiative the service will be launched, likely in the US first, before rolling out to other regions.

There will be a premium element to the new music service, likely called YouTube Plus, though details of the exact nature of this aspect of the service are unclear at present. Users can expect a dedicated music and video experience, however, with plenty of exclusive content from the get-go.

The new music service will launch in March 2018.

by rgoodwin via Featured Articles